1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shape inspection device for a resin hose that is used for a piping system in a motor vehicle, etc., more specifically, to a shape inspection device capable of inspecting accurately a curving shape or a curvature shape of a curved resin hose having a bent portion or bent portions.
2. Description of the Related Art
For a piping system in a motor vehicle, a resin hose as well as a rubber hose has been used. The rubber hose is excellent in assembling properties and vibration absorbing properties, while the resin hose is light-weight and excellent in handling properties. Also, the resin hose is hard to flex. So, when the resin hose is formed into a shape following a piping layout in advance, the resin hose is installed so as to accurately follow the piping layout. This is an advantage of the resin hose.
By the way, a curved resin hose having a bent portion is formed in a mold that is configured for molding or forming the curved hose of size and shape as designed. However, the curved hose that is formed often does not have a shape as designed since a curving shape or a curvature shape of the curved resin hose is likely deformed or changed when the curved resin hose is removed from the mold. That is, in many cases, the shape of the curved resin hose removed from the mold is not accurately the same as designed. So, it is required to verify whether the curved resin hose has a shape falling within an acceptable range, namely, within a usable range, by inspecting the shape of the curved resin hose that is produced.
In inspection of the shape of the curved resin hose, a produced hose is attached on a shape inspection device one by one. The shape inspection device used here has a fit-in portion that is shaped to conform to or follow the shape of the hose as designed, and the curved resin hose is tried to be fitted in the fit-in portion for inspecting the shape or the curving shape of the curved resin hose. When the curved resin hose is fitted in the fit-in portion, the curved resin hose is found usable. When the curved resin hose cannot be fitted in the fit-in portion, the curved resin hose is found unusable (for example, refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2 although these patents relates to rubber hoses).
[Patent Document 1]JP-A-10-122443[Patent Document 2]JP-A-61-11204
Although a curved resin hose is hard to flex, in fact, the curved resin hose has flexibility or resiliency to some extent. Therefore, even when a curving shape or a curvature shape of the curved resin hose is greatly changed compared to a shape as designed, the curved resin hose could be forcibly pushed into the fit-in portion. So, inspection results obtained with use of such inspection device may be improper or may not be reliable.
Under the foregoing circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shape inspection device for a curved hose that allows for accurate inspection of a shape or a curving shape of a curved resin hose.